


It Was Going to Happen Eventually

by neosaiyanangel



Category: One Piece
Genre: Bets & Wagers, Embarrassment, Love Confessions, Luffy Being Luffy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:36:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29248899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neosaiyanangel/pseuds/neosaiyanangel
Summary: Zoro has to talk to Luffy. It makes Luffy have to think.
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	It Was Going to Happen Eventually

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Welsper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Welsper/gifts).



“Oy.”

Luffy paused mid-bite of his mutton to look up at the person who had wandered up to him as he was hanging on the edge of the Sunny. His heart jumped a bit when he realized who it was. Mouth full of meat, he said around it, “Zoro! Hey!” He swallowed before saying, “Have you tried this food that Sanji made?”

“That shitty cook? Ugh.” Zoro rubbed his head, thumb passing over his scar.

Luffy laughed before shoving the rest of the food in his mouth and practically swallowing without chewing. “You two fight so much I have trouble figuring out if you like each other at all!”

“I  _ tolerate _ him.” Zoro coughed. “Actually, that’s part of what I wanted to talk with you about. Relationships between crewmates.”

Luffy blinked, then put on a serious face. “Do we need to get everyone else?”

“Wha-NO!” Zoro grumbled too loudly, “This was such a bad idea…”

“Zoro, I don’t understand.” Luffy scratched under his hat.

Zoro sighed. “What do you think of crewmates...being more than crewmates?”

Luffy stared at Zoro, his heart beating just a little faster. “I mean…” He thought harder than normal on it. After a few moments, during which Zoro started sweating, he said, “As long as things don’t get messed up and we all stay together, I don’t see a problem.”

Zoro seemed to let out a breath. “Good.”

Something clicked in Luffy’s head. It was a strange feeling he wasn’t used to. “Are you gonna ask someone out?” His mind raced, but it wore out fast. He had no idea who it would be.

Sanji? Was the hate all an act? ...Nah. Luffy was certain of that.

Nami? Did she literally own Zoro now?

Usopp? Could he have fallen for the sharpshooter?

Luffy’s brain overheated, both at the confusion and the mild pricks of jealousy. Giving up as Zoro stared at him in exasperation, he asked, “Who?”

“...You’re so clueless.” Zoro shook his head as he grumbled, “I don’t even know why I feel like this.”

“I see you’re confused too!” Luffy hopped up and elbowed Zoro. “C’mon. You can tell me!”

“Luffy.” Zoro sounded very serious all of a sudden. He gripped Luffy’s shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. “Do you understand how hard those two years were without you? I trained for you. I stayed away  _ for you _ . Even when I desperately wanted to be by your side.”

Again, the grinding of tired gears in Luffy’s head turned.

“I believe in you. As the next Pirate King. As my captain. As...as someone that I care about.” Zoro let go and turned away. His face was red and sweaty, like he was making a massive effort. And, considering the subject, really rather brave. “Just, I don’t know. I admire you.”

Luffy stared, trying to think. Zoro was...was this confessing? Was this what Robin talked about sometimes with her books? It was kinda weird. But...it was a weird that Luffy liked.

Suddenly Zoro snorted and turned. “I knew it would turn out awkward. I didn’t want to keep it in anymore is all.”

Zoro began walking off. Luffy started, then shot his arms out. He wrapped a surprised Zoro up and let his stretched arms pull him over to Zoro. Luffy gripped Zoro in a bone-breaking hug.

“Oy! Don’t run off!” Luffy laughed. He spun around as Zoro squawked in his arms. Pulling Zoro close, he said, “It’s a weird prickly feeling in your chest, right? All warm and stuff and you just don’t want to leave my side?”

Zoro looked down at Luffy, the surprise intensifying. “Yeah, kinda.”

“Yosh!” Luffy bounced Zoro up and down. “I feel the same!”

Zoro almost facefaulted. The only thing that kept him up was the fact that Luffy hadn’t let go. Sputtering, he said, “What do you mean  _ you feel the same _ ? You idiot! You probably didn’t even think about it, did you?”

“What’s to think about? I like you!” A brilliant smile punctuated his next words. “I missed you the most!”

Zoro was again red, this time seeming to have trouble saying anything. He then looked away and mumbled something.

“Ehhhh?” Luffy looked closely at Zoro. “What was that?”

“I  _ asked _ what in the world do we do now? I didn’t actually expect you to, to feel the same!”

“You kiss!” squeaked a voice from up the stairs.

Luffy and Zoro both realized then that somehow they had completely missed  _ the entire rest of the crew _ standing there watching them talk.

“Chopper!” Nami grumbled, “You aren’t supposed to interrupt! Especially when we have bets going!”

“Kiss?” the two said as one, both apparently processing Chopper’s statement. Not ready to tackle  _ that _ step, Luffy asked, “What do you guys think?”

“I think it’s  **_~SUPER~_ ** ” Franky shouted excitedly. “It’s about time you two stopped pussy-footing around.”

“Yo-ho-ho! I think it’s marvelous!” Brook agreed.

“I don’t get what you see in a bastard like Zoro, but if it’s what you want go for it,” Sanji said.

“Like anyone will give a shit about a piece of garbage like you!” Zoro shot back, his face somehow even redder.

“We all bet on you two confessing, but we did it at different stages of it,” Robin admitted with a grin.

“Kiss! Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss!” chanted Chopper with stars in his eyes.

“Does this mean I win the bet?” Usopp asked Nami while Chopper, Franky, and Brook bounced up and down and practically danced.

“Well, considering Chopper interrupted them, the bets are pretty much lost.”

“So no one wins?” Jimbei seemed a bit put-out.

“The  _ house _ wins,” Nami corrected with a chortle. “All bets are forfeited.”

“But-but that means that you get all the Beli!” Usopp shouted.

Nami smirked. “Should’ve read the fine print~”

“Fine pri-I DIDN’T SIGN ANYTHING!”

As Nami and Usopp began arguing back and forth while the rest of the crew joined in or simply watched the show in amusement, Luffy turned his attention back to Zoro. His first mate had seemed to recover from his embarrassment a bit as he, too, looked at Luffy.

Zoro gave his confident smirk as he reached out his hand.

Luffy, smiling brighter than the sun, took his hand.

They didn’t need to say anything else.


End file.
